American Apparel must tone down shopfront

It's famous for its risqué advertising campaigns featuring provocative close-ups of young models. Now American Apparel, the edgy fashion store, has been told that plans for its storefront on Grafton Street in Dublin are "undignified" and should be toned down.

The retail chain, which lines the walls of its shops with covers of soft-porn magazines and raunchy images of amateur models, is opening a flagship Irish store in a former bank building at the bottom of Grafton Street, opposite College Green. It applied for planning permission to revamp the facade last April, but has now been told to omit certain elements as they are "garish".

In a report from Dublin city council's conservation officer, American Apparel was told that its proposed signage was "inappropriate" and a number of "flags and commercial banners" were "undignified" and should be omitted. The council refused the company permission to erect a sign reading "Made